Which Non-Dairy Milk Is Right for You?

All about non-dairy milks

Looking to remoove dairy from your diet? (See what we did there?)

Milk alternatives give anyone who’s vegan, lactose intolerant, or simply trying to do away with dairy the ability to add creaminess to smoothies and other recipes, or simply have something to pour over a bowl of cereal.

But with so many types of non-dairy milk to choose from in the grocery store, you may find yourself lost. So we spoke to nutrition experts to get the pros, cons, nutrition stats, and more for the eight most popular types.

Taste: Not super-thick, but not watery either. Not too sweet, and not too bland.

Pros: “Dairy is high in calcium and protein plus vitamins D and A and riboflavin,” says Sonya Angelone, RDN, a San Francisco-based registered dietitian.

Cons: About 65% of adults have trouble digesting lactose, a sugar found in milk and other dairy products. And in some communities, prevalence of lactose intolerance is even higher—more than 90% of people of East Asian descent struggle to digest dairy.

Soy milk

Taste: Thick and not too sweet. “Taste has traditionally been a big drawback of soy beverages,” says Isabel Maples, RDN, a Washington, DC-based nutritionist. “People complain of a chalky taste, but manufacturers have now made improvements in the flavor and texture of this milk alternative.”

Pros: Contains almost as much protein as dairy milk, yet is lower in calories than whole milk and comparable to skim milk.

Cons: Too much soy may be a problem for those with thyroid disease. Soy also contains phytoestrogens, which act like estrogen in the body—and too much estrogen might up breast cancer risk.

Best for: Soy milk’s neutral taste works well in cereal and coffee.

Rice milk

Nutrition specs: Rice Dream Original contains 120 calories per 8-ounce serving, as well as 2.5 grams of fat, 80 milligrams of sodium, 23 grams of carbs, and 1 gram of protein.

Taste: Thin, runny, and sweet.

Pros: It’s safe for those with food sensitivities to dairy, nuts, or soy.

Cons: “It has low protein compared to other alternatives, and the carb count is double what’s found in regular milk,” Maples says.

Best for: The sweetness lends itself well to baked goods.

Oat milk

Nutrition specs: A 8-ounce serving of Pacific Organic Oat Original milk has 130 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, no cholesterol, 115 milligrams of sodium, 24 grams of carbs, and 4 grams of protein.